Zambia's president has weighed into a cultural debate that has erupted online after the president of Ghana arrived in Zambia wearing a traditional outfit called a fugu. Some Zambians mockingly called it a blouse.
But Zambia's leader hit back by sharing his love for the design, saying he would be ordering more of that stuff for himself, in a video posted from the Ghana–Zambia Business Forum held in Lusaka this week.
Ghana's foreign minister said the social media buzz was a sign that young people were keen to reclaim their cultural roots.
In Ghana itself, a move to encourage traditional outfits has led to Fugu Friday, which sees people wear African clothing.
Following days of online back and forth between netizens of the two countries, President Hakainde Hichilema expressed his admiration for the Ghanaian outfit.
We'll be ordering more fugu from Ghana following the social media conversations, Hichilema said on Friday in Zambia's capital, Lusaka.
When Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama arrived for a three-day State Visit, he was proudly sporting a fugu—a traditional northern Ghanaian outfit made from hand‑woven, narrow strips of thick cotton fabric stitched together to form a structured, poncho‑style garment. In contrast, his Zambian counterpart was wearing a suit and tie.
This elicited strong reactions from some Zambians online, with numerous mocking comments on social media.
Ghanaian officials attending the forum responded by highlighting the deep cultural significance of the fugu. Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa described it as not just an item of clothing but a symbol of African identity, dignity, and heritage.
In a message to young people, he encouraged them to embrace their cultural roots, mentioning the attire's historical significance as worn by Ghana's founder Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah during the country's independence declaration.
The viral discourse has sparked renewed interest among the youth, urging them to celebrate African culture and its historical garments.
